Question

where to use "TO" and "FOR" in a sentence.

Cool Breeze · Accepted Answer

to, prep.
1. (used for expressing motion or direction toward a point, person, place, or thing approached and reached, as opposed to from): They came to the house.
2. (used for expressing direction or motion or direction toward something) in the direction of; toward: from north to south.
3. (used for expressing limit of movement or extension): He grew to six feet.
4. (used for expressing contact or contiguity) on; against; beside; upon: a right uppercut to the jaw; Apply varnish to the surface.
5. (used for expressing a point of limit in time) before; until: to this day; It is ten minutes to six. We work from nine to five.
6. (used for expressing aim, purpose, or intention): going to the rescue.
7. (used for expressing destination or appointed end): sentenced to jail.
8. (used for expressing agency, result, or consequence): to my dismay; The flowers opened to the sun.
9. (used for expressing a resulting state or condition): He tore it to pieces.
10. (used for expressing the object of inclination or desire): They drank to her health.
11. (used for expressing the object of a right or claim): claimants to an estate.
12. (used for expressing limit in degree, condition, or amount): wet to the skin; goods amounting to $1000; Tomorrow's high will be 75 to 80°.
13. (used for expressing addition or accompaniment) with: He added insult to injury. They danced to the music. Where is the top to this box?
14. (used for expressing attachment or adherence): She held to her opinion.
15. (used for expressing comparison or opposition): inferior to last year's crop; The score is eight to seven.
16. (used for expressing agreement or accordance) according to; by: a position to one's liking; to the best of my knowledge.
17. (used for expressing reference, reaction, or relation): What will he say to this?
18. (used for expressing a relative position): parallel to the roof.
19. (used for expressing a proportion of number or quantity) in; making up: 12 to the dozen; 20 miles to the gallon.
20. (used for indicating the indirect object of a verb, for connecting a verb with its complement, or for indicating or limiting the application of an adjective, noun, or pronoun): Give it to me. I refer to your work.
21. (used as the ordinary sign or accompaniment of the infinitive, as in expressing motion, direction, or purpose, in ordinary uses with a substantive object.)
22. Math. raised to the power indicated: Three to the fourth is 81 (34 = 81).
–adv.
23. toward a point, person, place, or thing, implied or understood.
24. toward a contact point or closed position: Pull the door to.
25. toward a matter, action, or work: We turned to with a will.
26. into a state of consciousness; out of unconsciousness: after he came to.

for, prep.
1. with the object or purpose of: to run for exercise.
2. intended to belong to, or be used in connection with: equipment for the army; a closet for dishes.
3. suiting the purposes or needs of: medicine for the aged.
4. in order to obtain, gain, or acquire: a suit for alimony; to work for wages.
5. (used to express a wish, as of something to be experienced or obtained): O, for a cold drink!
6. sensitive or responsive to: an eye for beauty.
7. desirous of: a longing for something; a taste for fancy clothes.
8. in consideration or payment of; in return for: three for a dollar; to be thanked for one's efforts.
9. appropriate or adapted to: a subject for speculation; clothes for winter.
10. with regard or respect to: pressed for time; too warm for April.
11. during the continuance of: for a long time.
12. in favor of; on the side of: to be for honest government.
13. in place of; instead of: a substitute for butter.
14. in the interest of; on behalf of: to act for a client.
15. in exchange for; as an offset to: blow for blow; money for goods.
16. in punishment of: payment for the crime.
17. in honor of: to give a dinner for a person.
18. with the purpose of reaching: to start for London.
19. contributive to: for the advantage of everybody.
20. in order to save: to flee for one's life.
21. in order to become: to train recruits for soldiers.
22. in assignment or attribution to: an appointment for the afternoon; That's for you to decide.
23. such as to allow of or to require: too many for separate mention.
24. such as results in: his reason for going.
25. as affecting the interests or circumstances of: bad for one's health.
26. in proportion or with reference to: He is tall for his age.
27. in the character of; as being: to know a thing for a fact.
28. by reason of; because of: to shout for joy; a city famed for its beauty.
29. in spite of: He's a decent guy for all that.
30. to the extent or amount of: to walk for a mile.
31. (used to introduce a subject in an infinitive phrase): It's time for me to go.
32. (used to indicate the number of successes out of a specified number of attempts): The batter was 2 for 4 in the game.
33. for it, Brit. See in (def. 21).
–conj.
34. seeing that; since.
35. because
(RHUD)

CB

Mister Micawber · Answer

Please read this thread in our FAQs: http://www.EnglishForward.com/English/Grammer/bbqcmc/post.htm

CalifJim · Answer

Anonymouswhere to use "TO" and "FOR" in a sentence.

Here's one use of "for" and "to".

Use "for" first, then "to", after an expression like "It's important".

It's important for us to be on time.
It's unusual for them to be late.
It's difficult for the children to understand the concept.

Also after expressions like "too big" and "not big enough". (You can substitute other adjectives for "big".)

The box is too big for those men to carry.
Jack found that the shelf was too high for him to reach.
The pool was not deep enough for the swimmers to dive in.
__________

Now all you need to do is learn the other 100 uses of "for" and "to"!

Don't try to do it all in one day.

CJ

Mister Micawber · Answer

..and be sure to remember that you can also say 'It's important to me to be on time' if you mean something else!

CalifJim · Answer

Mister Micawber..and be sure to remember that you can also say 'It's important to me to be on time' if you mean something else!

And, indeed,

It's important to me for you to be on time.

But my favorite is:

It is exciting for Frank for his father to talk about the old country.

[Soames and Permutter. Syntactic Argumentation and the Structure of English.]

CJ

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